Birthday Blizzard
by AustenJane
Summary: Sequel to "Home." Five months after Rachel and Finn reunite in the choir room, the Glee gang returns to Lima for Finn's 28th birthday. But things definitely don't go as expected.
1. An Unwelcome Surprise

**So, I just couldn't leave Finn and Rachel alone from the "Home" universe I created. I'm always so interested in future Finchel stories and I felt like I had to continue to tell their story, considering it won't ever come to fruition. So, here's Birthday Blizzard! Hope you enjoy it, it's going to be prettttttty angsty ;)**

* * *

><p>"You just don't stop, do you?" Finn snorted when he saw his seven and a half month pregnant wife cooking up a storm in their kitchen. She turned to him and shooed him off, knowing he was going to say something about her "relaxing" or "resting" which was ridiculous because she was <em>perfectly<em> fine. Plus, she promised Carole she'd provide the desserts, although Carole had also urged her to take it easy, and she very obviously ignored that.

Everyone just needed to stop _worrying_.

Finn walked over to her and placed a supportive hand on her lower back. She had been complaining about the belly weight taking a toll on her little body recently and he couldn't help but feel responsible for that.

He kissed the side of her head, "You sure you don't want any help?"

She looked behind her shoulder at him and softened, "No, it's very sweet of you to offer but I'd like the dessert to be edible, Sweetie."

Finn jerked his head back at the really smooth backhanded compliment she just delivered, "Way harsh, Rach."

She deflated a bit, "I'm sorry! I just—everyone's been on my case about overexerting myself and the baby and it's, well, quite frankly it's fucking pissing me off!"

Finn put his hand on his hip and pursed his lips, really trying his hardest not to laugh at her usage of the ultimate bad word.

"I'm just worried about you, Baby. I love you and _her_," He stressed, cupping her belly, "And I just want you both to be safe."

Rachel leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I understand that, Finn. But cooking isn't going to put us over the edge, I promise."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "You better. I don't what I'd do if something happened…"

Rachel knew where this was coming from. She sort of had the worst first trimester known to man and had only recently gotten to a stable place where Finn didn't feel the need to drive home on his lunch break to make sure she wasn't passed out somewhere. Finn still carried her up most flights of stairs and wouldn't let her stay on her feet for too long.

"We're okay, now. We got through the scary part." She whispered gently, kissing his chest where her face laid.

"I know I'm being overprotective I just can't help it. I'll try and give you more space, okay?" She brightened at that; happy they could come to some sort of agreement on the whole thing. Rachel Berry-Hudson was independent, damn it, and she hated feeling like she needed to be taken care of.

Their attention turned away from Rachel's health when they heard a particularly attention starved dog whining behind them.

"Oh, Cliffy. I haven't given you a pet in like an hour! How rude of me." Finn watched as Rachel winced when she bent down to give Cliff a belly rub. Normally he'd be at her side, doting, but he was really trying to not freak out about everything. He owed her that.

"Cliff, you wanna go for a walk?" Ok, so he may not be at Rachel's side, but he couldn't stand to see her hunched over spoiled Cliff as she pretended she wasn't in pain. He had to remedy the situation.

The dog left Rachel's side in an instant and jumped up so that his front paws rested on Finn's stomach as if to say, "Let's go, Dad!"

Rachel frowned, she knew that Finn had diverted Cliff's attention on purpose, but at the same time her back felt like it was about to break. She stood up a bit haphazardly and for an instant missed Finn's cautious hands that were usually at her side.

She put a hand to her lower back as she followed Finn and Cliff to the front door. As Finn hooked the leash onto Cliff's collar, Rachel wrapped his scarf around his neck and squeezed the hat she had knitted in a fit of nesting over his head. He stood up and she held open his mittens for him to put his hands through.

"This is overkill, Rach. I'll be back in ten minutes."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "You want to catch a cold and give it to the baby?"

He sighed, of course he didn't, and Rachel slapped his gloves on him like his mother had when he was five years old and wanted to play in the snow. She reached up on her tip toes to give him a sweet kiss on the nose.

"Don't be too long, Daddy. We still have to shop for the finishing touches on the nursery." He smiled from ear to ear at the thought. Normally, he hated shopping, but he loved helping Rachel pick out things for the baby's room because it made everything seem all the more real. He was even getting into the color and design scheme with her and Kurt—he just wanted his little girl to have everything.

Finn reached down to rub her belly and he kissed her forehead, "Daddy will be right back."

* * *

><p>Finn returned ten minutes later on the dot and was actually pretty damn glad that Rachel had forced him to bundle up, although he'd never admit that to her.<p>

She'd gloat.

When he opened the door what he heard sent his heart right into his throat.

"FINN! FINN!" Rachel shouted, sounding completely distressed and he sprinted towards the kitchen with Cliff in tow.

"RACHEL, I'M COMING!" He called after her, letting her know he was there to help her.

He nearly threw up imagining the things that could be happening, until he eyed his tiny wife on the floor surrounded by chocolate goop. Goop was everywhere—hanging off of cabinets, and refrigerator door handles, and the walls. He turned to see Cliff licking a spot next to his bowl.

"What the hell happened? I thought you were dying!" He called trying to help her up off of the floor.

"It exploded, Finn! It just—it—I opened the oven and it went everywhere!"

Finn pulled her in close kissing the top of her head, "I don't care about that, I'm just glad you're alright."

"But the kitchen is brand new and I've already ruined it!" She cried into his shirt.

"Babe, it's just a little mess. I'll clean it up. Why don't you go lay down for a bit."

He wasn't sure if it was the shell shock or the fact that she had been working herself like a dog, but Rachel silently complied and shuffled into the living room to snuggle up on the couch.

Finn rubbed his temples taking in the scene before him. How the hell did she manage to do this?

As if on cue, his mother called him and he picked up, "Hey Mom, not really a good time…"

Carole laughed, "Should I go pick up some dessert?"

He sighed, defeated, "Yeah, probably."

After scrubbing the kitchen and having to forcefully remove Cliff from the area on four separate occasions, he headed into the living room to find Rachel passed out on the couch. His heart warmed at the sight of her little body and her burgeoning belly that was being cradled by her hand.

He leaned down to kiss her cheek and she stirred, her face forming an immediate pout.

"What's wrong, Baby?"

She winced trying to fix herself on the couch but failing, "My back."

He hurried over to the other side to lift her and quickly placed some pillows behind her and elevated her feet so that they were perched on top of a few baby books on the coffee table.

"Better?" He asked hopefully, ready to do anything else she needed.

She nodded but she wasn't too convincing.

"Rach, should I call Dr. Evanson?" She shifted her eyes around the room like a guilty child and shook her head no.

"No, I'm alright. I just shouldn't have napped on the sofa is all." Finn wasn't satisfied with her answer but he also didn't want to elevate her stress levels with a fight.

"Let's just take it easy today. We'll order in, watch a movie, I'll rub your feet…" He tried to entice her.

"But we have to get bedding and curtains and a few more pictures for the nursery." She protested weakly, knowing she should probably rest.

He felt terrible for her. Her face was flushed and she was so obviously uncomfortable and she had spent the previous five months yakking her brains out. She had sacrificed everything for their baby and all she wanted to do was go shopping for her and she couldn't.

"Why don't we online shop? Anything you want I'll put on rush delivery." He offered, sitting next to her on the couch and wrapping his arms around her.

She leaned into him and a smile crept up onto her lips, "I suppose that'd be okay. The weather's pretty bad and we have a busy day tomorrow with your birthday so—"

Finn cut her off with a kiss and she bit her lower lip. It never ceased to amaze her that she could still be so attracted to him after all of these years. Her affection towards him just grew with time, not to mention carrying someone's baby made you feel pretty close to them. Regardless, his kiss made her heart skip a beat like they were back in the McKinley halls.

"You know, we have to pick out a name for her, too. Tonight would be as good a time as any…" He whispered, his forehead leaning on hers.

"I thought we liked Lily?" She asked, watching his hand reach over and lift up the material of her shirt so he could get to her bare belly.

He leaned down and kissed it and looked back up at her, "I did until I realized it was one of the most popular names last year. She's our star, she needs something different."

Rachel grinned at the reference, "Thank God, you seemed so gung ho on it and I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I like Lily but not for our daughter."

He chuckled at how Rachel had mellowed over the years. Had he gotten her pregnant half a decade ago, he wouldn't have had naming privileges at all, much less an equal vote.

"I think we'll know when we see her." Rachel said as she ran her hands through his hair. He was currently resting his head on her tummy and rubbing it.

"Rachel Berry-Hudson, going with the flow. Who would've thought!" He teased, coming back up to eye level.

"I've matured, I am going to be a mother now you know."

"Oh, I know. I was the one who put the baby in you." He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.

"Finn!" She smacked his arm playfully and he shrugged.

"What? I'm glad I did. It changed everything for the better." Turning serious he linked his hand with hers.

She brought his hand to her mouth to kiss it, "It did, didn't it?"

He leaned in to kiss her, trying not to put his full body weight on her but it proving difficult since he was so big and they were both squeezed on the love seat.

In the middle of their make out session, Finn's hand slipped for a moment and he put a little extra pressure on Rachel and she yelped out in pain.

"I'm so sorry!" He called as he jumped back, trying to examine her for any damage.

She didn't look very mad at him though.

"It's alright, Baby. Why don't we just start shopping before it gets too late okay? I'm sort of tired…"

Great, he had totally killed the mood. Smooth, Hudson, real smooth.

She went to get up to fetch the laptop but Finn pulled her back down onto the couch and insisted he'd get up to get it. She silently thanked him and as he walked out of the room he saw her face drop into a painful expression and her hand shoot her to back.

When he came back, he noticed Rachel was trying to pretend like nothing was wrong but the pain was evident over her forced and pale features.

He set the laptop on the table and draped his arm around her, "Rach, are you alright?"

She shrugged, placing her hand to her back, "Just a little sore."

Finn's brow furrowed. Rachel never usually complained unless it was bad.

"Can I do anything for you? Get you anything?" He asked helplessly.

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine. Let's pick out the comforter and curtains before Kurt can swoop in and change everything."

Finn smiled at her attempt to lighten the mood, but as they browsed around and decided on a lavender and cream flowered printed comforter and curtains to match the airy light gray walls, his heart wasn't in it. He kept on eyeing Rachel who would shift uncomfortably every few minutes.

When they put the credit card information in Rachel shut the laptop and laid her head sleepily against her husband's body.

"Baby, would you mind carrying me up to bed?" She asked sweetly.

Finn's stomach dropped at the request. Rachel asking for help? Something had to be up.

"Of course, Baby." He kissed her head and scooped her up in his arms. They ascended the stairs and Rachel had already fallen asleep. He tucked her into bed and climbed in with her.

He gently crawled over to place a kiss on Rachel's belly. It was protocol for him to say goodnight to his baby girl, but this time he had a special request.

"Go easy on Mommy, okay?"

* * *

><p>"Rach, you look so beautiful." He breathed as he stepped out of their master bath and into the room where Rachel was putting on her pearl earrings Finn had gotten her. She was in this deep red dress that brought out her dark features and made Finn's heart skip a beat.<p>

She blushed, running her hand along her belly, "We wanted to get dressed up for Daddy's birthday."

"Thanks, Baby." He leaned in to kiss her and she caressed his face with her hands as he deepened the kiss.

"Someone's frisky." She taunted, winking at him before returning to her jewelry.

"It's not every day you turn twenty-eight." He grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands resting on her belly.

"That is true. I guess we'll just have to hurry back home after cake, huh?" She mused, talking into the mirror.

"I guess so." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and seductively let his towel drop as he searched for clothes.

Rachel bit her lip and fanned herself a little, tonight was going to be perfect so long as this nagging back pain would go away. She was beginning to get worried.

Not to mention the fact that the supposed winter storm that was headed their way this weekend may turn into a full blown blizzard. Since all of their friends flew in for the occasion, there was no canceling it now. Finn's 28th birthday was going on, feet of snow or not.

Two hours into the party and it didn't look like anyone would be going anywhere.

"I literally don't think I've ever seen it snow so much in so little a time in my entire life." Kurt said in amazement, looking out of the window.

"Listen, we got a bunch of food, a bunch of beer, Carole—excuse me, _Mrs. Hummel_, said she's got flashlights and extra batteries and stuff. Why are we complaining? Let's rock this blizzard." Puck chanted, pumping his fist and inappropriately grinding into Quinn.

"Enough, Noah. Henry is right over there!" She hissed, pointing to where Puck's son, Henry, and Kurt and Blaine's daughter, Emily, were playing with blocks.

He rolled his eyes and released as Sam jumped into the room excitedly, "Guys! I was just watching the news. Apparently half of Lima has already lost power. Oh, and there's like a state of emergency and stuff so no one under any circumstances are allowed on the roads."

Blaine looked encouraged by this, "I think this is a great opportunity for us to catch up again! I mean how long has it been since we were all in the same place?"

Mercedes and Santana corrected him quickly, "Two months ago at Finn and Rachel's wedding." They said in unison.

He nodded his head and quietly retreated.

Finn kept eying Rachel who was happily talking to Brittany about the world tour she just went on with Miley Cyrus.

He hated the thought of being trapped – what if something happened with Rachel?

"Come on, Birthday Boy! Let's have a little jam sesh." Puck slapped him on the back and Sam excitedly followed them into the basement where Finn's old drum set was still kept.

Finn kept turning his head to make sure Rachel was alright. He noticed Mercedes and Tina helping her down the stairs and he was trying not to hover, so he let it go.

Burt and his mom had fixed up the basement real nice with awesome couches, a bar, and a huge TV screen. He figured it was good to hang down here for a bit to let his parents and the kids have a little respite. The glee club tended to get a bit rowdy.

He sat behind his drum set and his worry seemed to slip away. Sam and Puck grabbed their guitars (they brought them just in case they'd all randomly want to break into song) and they began to play "Jessie's Girl," which elicited some laughter from the group of friends and a look of pure longing in Rachel's eyes. He blew her a kiss and she pretended to catch it and place it over her heart.

The drumming and strumming and singing continued until the lights began to flicker.

"I think this would be a good time for cake!" Carole called down to them. They all agreed and Finn made Rachel wait until the rest of them filed up the stairs so he could cautiously lead her up them.

"Baby, you alright?" He asked putting one hand to the small of her back and the other one gripping her hand to lead her forward.

She nodded silently.

"You've been unusually quiet." He nudged on, trying to get to the bottom of her behavior.

She shrugged, "I guess I'm just a little tired is all."

"I wish I could put you in our own bed and take care of you." He lamented, rubbing her back.

"It's fine, besides, I don't want to miss any of your birthday or all of our friends." She smiled.

They walked together towards the dining room where everyone crowded around the table in the dark to sing to him.

If he was honest, the scene of his best friends all grown up and still together made him choke up. With Rachel still by his side and about to have their first baby, he wasn't sure if life got any better than this.

That is until after he blew his candles out and Kurt tried to turn the light back on… and it wouldn't.

They started to hear the kids complain from the other room that the TV wasn't working as well and they all knew they were screwed.

Burt slapped Finn on the back and called out to the males of the group, "Alright boys, time to chop some wood!"

No one could see, but Rachel grimaced, holding her hand to her back that was currently on fire.

As soon as Carole and Quinn returned from the kitchen to light candles and get some flashlights, Carole shone the light on Rachel who was clutching the wall next to her.

Quinn gasped and she and Tina hurried over to her, "Are you alright?" Santana asked nervously.

Rachel's face was pale and the pain was certainly something she hadn't experienced before.

"I think I just need to sit down." She said, her voice shaking. Quinn and Tina led her to the couch where Henry, Emily, and Tina and Mike's son, MJ (short for Mike Jr.), looked over at their Aunt Rachel in horror.

"Is Aunt Rachel okay, Q?" Henry asked, holding Emily's hand as she grew upset at Rachel's distress.

"I'm fine, Sweetheart. Why don't you take MJ and Emmy into the kitchen, there's lots of dessert." She tried to smile and Henry nodded obediently, taking Emily and MJ by the hand and led them into the next room.

Quinn looked at her seriously now that Santana had laid candles around the room, illuminating it enough to function.

"Rachel, be honest with me. Do you think you're in labor?"

Rachel bit back tears, terrified, "I don't know." She blurted out and Quinn looked over anxiously at Carole who ushered Brittany to go get the guys.

"I—I'm not even eight months yet! What's going to happen to my baby?!" She sobbed and Santana kneeled before her.

"You listen to me, Berry. You're going to be fine and your baby is going to be fine. You just need to hang in there and be strong, okay? You're the most persistent and obnoxiously resilient pain in the ass I know and you're going to get through this."

Rachel silently thanked her for the pep talk as Carole took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Your water hasn't broken yet, has it?" She shook her head at her mother-in-law who sighed in relief.

"Alright, that's good. I'm going to put your legs up, Rachel. Okay?"

She bit her lip and nodded, allowing anyone to do anything that'd help her or the baby.

She couldn't help but cry, she felt like her whole life was spiraling out of control.

"Shh, it's going to be alright. I won't let anything bad happen, okay?" Her mother-in-law, who felt a lot more like her mother, soothed her and ran her thumb over her forehead.

"I'm so scared." She managed to blurt out in between heaving for air.

Finn burst through the door and was immediately at Rachel's side, "Baby!" He kneeled in front of her where Santana just had a held her hand tightly, "What's happening?"

He searched everyone's face for a comforting answer but he knew there wasn't one.

"Finn, we think Rachel might be in labor."

Finn's head snapped up from its perch at Rachel's side and he begged his mother to tell him something different.

"She can't be!" He cried, "She's only thirty weeks!"

"Finn, I'm so sorry." Rachel sobbed as she reached out her hand for her husband.

"Baby, don't apologize—Jesus Christ, we gotta get her to the hospital!" Burt put his hand on Kurt's shoulder as he looked on in horror.

"Someone needs to help her!" Kurt yelped, it literally pained him to see his friend in this much distress.

Sam spoke up, "I'll call." He retreated from the room and into the kitchen with Quinn and Puck who went to check on the kids.

"Please don't come now, Baby, it's Daddy's birthday, not yours." Rachel was hysterical now, trying to talk her unborn child out of being born.

Finn was frozen, watching his wife clutch at her round belly as he helplessly looked to his mother for some kind of answer.

She looked at him with a stone cold face, "Finn, can you come with me for a minute?"

"I'm not leaving her." Finn proclaimed, kissing her temple and brushing some hair from her face.

Mercedes walked over, "Finn, I've got her. Go with your mom."

He reluctantly left Rachel and Mercedes took over clutching her hand and coaxing her into some sort of relaxation.

"Finn, we're going to have to deliver this baby here."

"WHAT? You can't be serious! The baby's not even old enough, she'll die, Mom!"

"Keep your voice down! This is her only chance, Baby, I'm sorry."

"But—her water hasn't broken yet, that's a good sign right?"

"FINN!" Rachel screamed and he bolted back into the room. Everyone looked down in horror at the pool of water seeping through Rachel's dress and onto the couch.

This was really happening.

"No! No! No! No!" She wept, holding her belly.

Finn gripped her in his arms, "It'll be okay, just deep breaths okay?"

"She's too little, Finn!" She bellowed, hysteria overcoming her.

"She'll be okay you just need to relax, okay? What did we learn at those baby classes? If Mommy's calm, baby's calm, right?" She nodded forcefully, her face contorting as she screamed out in pain.

"Ahh!" She squeezed Finn's hand tightly and he watched the color drain from her face. He eyed the clock—7:36pm.

"This can't be happening!" She cried out in disbelief.

"A Dios Mio! I can't take this! It's not fair!" Santana lost it and Brittany followed her into the kitchen where she broke down in her arms.

Sam came back his face stoic, "They uh, they can't even get any emergency vehicles on the road. The few snow plows they sent out got stuck. They said we might be waiting till morning." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor like it was somehow his fault.

"This has to be some sort of cosmic joke, right?!" Kurt said sardonically as he sat on the edge of the couch to hold Rachel's other hand.

"I don't care what they said! We're getting her to the hospital!" Finn jumped up to get his keys so he could start his car but he wasn't even able to push the door open any more. In a fit of frustration he kicked it and punched it, leaving his hand raw.

"Stop that! Finn!" Rachel called nervously.

"I promised I'd take care of you and the baby." He explained.

"By punching the door? This is it, Finn. We have no choice, I'm going to have to have her here." She was more composed now, either the shock had worn off or she had sadly accepted her fate.

"Why don't we take you upstairs where you'll be more comfortable, Sweetheart." Carole offered, currently holding her hand and rubbing it.

"Blaine, Mike, Sam, Puck and I will hold down the fort down here with the kids and all and if you guys need anything we're at your service." Burt promised, walking over to Rachel and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, "You got this, kiddo." He whispered to her and her eyes became watery again.

Finn stoically walked over to where his wife lay helplessly and lifted her into his arms, bridal style, "I have you, Baby." She nuzzled against his chest and his heart sunk. The poor woman in his arms was counting on him and he was acting like a total idiot. He had to suck it up and be a man. Be a husband. Be a father. A _father._ "I love you so much, Rachel." He proclaimed, holding her even closer.

He gulped.

Things come full circle, don't they? He laid his pregnant wife down in his teenage bed to give birth in the same house he took her virginity in.

She looked up at him, terrified, and clutched his hand.

"Promise me that you'll do whatever it takes to save her, okay?"

"Baby, of course I will!"

"Anything?"

"I will do _anything _for our daughter, Rachel." She smiled up at him, contented by his answer. "I love you, Finn." She said airily, before slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

"Rach? Rachel?!" She felt Finn shake her, his screams drowning out as everything around her went black.


	2. Some Birthday

**Well, hello there! I don't even know if anyone is still interested in reading this but I sat on this for a while after mulling over it for months and just finished it up and decided to post. Hope you enjoy! There'll only be one more part after this. **

**Also, disclaimer: I tried to do as much medical research as I could, but the accuracy is probably shoddy at best. Just go with it, will ya?! **

**Oh, and italics are flashbacks!**

…**..**

"_Finn, this is the __**one**__." Rachel squealed, bracing his long, strong arm with both of her smaller ones. He and Rachel had been house hunting for the better part of a month and they weren't having any luck finding a place that felt right for them—at the right price. Well, that was before he and Rachel went on their daily walks (it was really Rachel's thing, but he didn't feel right about letting her physically exert herself without him being there. So, now he was fit by association. He'd thank his unborn for the 5lb loss later…) and they happened upon the old Victorian house on Hubbard Street, where this really nice old lady who wore pastel cardigans and always gave out pennies at Halloween had lived. Well… until she passed away last year and apparently none of her relatives had the heart to do anything with the old, cavernous home. The "For Sale" sign blew in the wind, practically begging them to take it._

_He took in the dilapidated sight before him and sighed, and then looked down at his glowing girlfriend (not for long, though. He had the ring and everything- A new one, for their new start. He just had to work up the courage after the last time had gone so poorly) and decided no matter how much money this was going to cost or how much time it'd take, he had to do it. He'd do anything that made her smile this wide. _

_Plus, it'd be pretty cool to live in a house that may or may not be haunted._

"_You really love it, huh?" He asked softly, kissing the top of her head._

_She was beaming, looking up at him as she rubbed her little belly, "It's perfect. The wrap around porch, the turret, the huge yard… it's like a fairy tale!" His heart warmed as she cheered, clapping her hands excitedly in front of her face. He wondered if that was a learned trait, or one she'd pass down to their little girl. He affectionately put his hand to her under armor sweatshirt clad belly and let himself imagine Rachel and their daughter together._

_Ruminations about their new life as a family had also spurred his inclination towards making this ridiculous decision in agreement with Rachel. He could just hear Kurt's screeching over it now. "Are you INSANE, Finn?" "You let RACHEL talk you into home renovation? She doesn't even know what a wrench is!" Chills were running down his spine just thinking about it. He had to admit, the house was gigantic for practically no money at all. They definitely wouldn't be able to afford something of this size if it were turnkey. But despite his deepening anxieties over buying and renovating a house in the same year as they were welcoming their (beloved yet unexpected) first child, for a second he let himself imagine it, five, ten years down the line—Their kids running around the yard, Rachel and him drinking coffee on the porch swing, Christmas mornings in front of the fireplace, throwing a ball with Sam and Puck around back, maybe getting an in ground pool for their spacious yard and getting to see Rachel in a bikini for an entire two months…_

"_Okay, Baby. Let's do it." He said decidedly. Now, he too was excited. He squeezed her hand and she turned and engulfed him in the tightest hug her body would allow. It was almost unbelievable that just two months ago she was living a whole different life without him in New York._

"_I want to be fair about this, Finn. We'll use some of my Broadway money to do it, since it was my idea and it's such a big under taking," she promised, as if reading his worried mind._

"_No, Rach—I don't want you to." He insisted._

_She stomped her foot and put her hands on her hips, "It's my house, too, isn't it?"_

"_Yeah, but—" She stopped him in his tracks._

"_And, aren't we going to be a family?" _

"_Rach, you already are my family. Baby or not."_

_She smiled in spite of herself, "That's very sweet, but you're missing my point. If we're a family, we share—everything, including our money. You buy the house, I pay for the reno. Besides, I have expensive taste."_

_She winked and he faltered, "I guess. But you know I have no problem doing this, right? I want to do this for you."_

"_I know. I want to do this for you, too."_

_He was brought out of his melancholy over the lost months with Rachel when she leaned in and kissed his chest and laid her forehead against it, "Finn, all of our dreams are coming true."_

…_.._

"Honey, how are you doing?" Finn took his attention away from his still unconscious wife to look back at the person who put the warm hand on his shoulder.

He tried to offer her a smile, but it fell pathetically short, "Not so great, Mom," he turned back to Rachel to run his thumb over her pale cheek. "Some birthday," he remarked.

"Finn, she's going to be _fine_." Carole tried to convince him as she took a seat next to him on the bed, feeling for Rachel's pulse.

"Which one?" He asked gravely.

Carole realized her mistake and quickly tried to remedy it, "Both of them, Finny. I know it's scary now, but I don't think Rachel's in any immediate danger and so long as the labor lasts until the paramedics can get here, the baby will be okay, too. Rachel's contractions are far apart. That's a good thing."

"Then why did she faint? And why is she _still _unconscious?"

"I'm thinking a combination of stress, anxiety, and you know… carrying and delivering a child. It's not easy, especially when you're Rachel's size. She just needs to rest." She tried to joke.

Finn wasn't biting, "And what if her contractions speed up? What if the baby's born here? She's going to die, then, isn't she?"

"Finn, that's a worst case scenario. But if it comes to that, we'll do it and we'll try our hardest to help her."

"You told me before we were going to _need_ to deliver the baby here."

"I think I got a bit ahead of myself. I'm emotional too, you know. She's my first grandchild." Carole accentuated the fact by squeezing Finn's hand.

"She's going to be your only one."

"Finn, stop talking like that."

"No. I'm never putting Rachel through this again_. Ever_."

As if hearing him subconsciously, Rachel stirred uncomfortably.

"Finn?" She croaked and both Finn and Carole's eyes snapped towards her.

"Baby!" Finn cried, leaning over and checking her face, as if judging if she were real.

"Is—is she okay?" She asked nervously, her hand snaking down to her still swollen belly.

"She's hanging in there, Rach. She's strong like her mommy." He smiled, leaning down and kissing his wife on the lips.

"I just want to go home," She began to whimper, like a little girl. Finn's heart broke into a million pieces as she continued, "And I just want to be in our bed in your arms, with our little girl still safe and growing… I want to wake up from this nightmare."

Finn's resolve was breaking, "Baby, I wish I could do that for you. I wish I could make this better."

Rachel suddenly gripped the sheets below her and yelped out in pain, "AHHH!"

Finn and Carole scrambled to grab her hands in an attempt to soothe her.

"Squeeze my hand baby, as hard as you need," He called out and she complied.

When the contraction finally passed her head fell back against the pillow and she panted, her face red and strained.

"You're doing so good, Rach." Finn cooed, kissing her temple and rubbing her stomach.

"Wh—what time is it?" Rachel asked, exasperated.

Finn's eyebrows furrowed until he realized why she asked.

"It's 9:58. Your contractions are 20 minutes apart." Carole announced as she wrote something down on a note pad.

"That's encouraging." Rachel sighed, this time in relief.

"20 minutes, that's good?" Finn asked, looking from his wife to his mother.

"It means she probably still has hours to go." She offered him a reassuring grin and he allowed himself to relax.

"Thank God." He cried and reached over to kiss Rachel again.

…

_Finn woke up to the sound of his house falling down. Were there even earthquakes in Lima? He rolled over to check on Rachel but found her side of the bed empty, his heart sinking._

"_Rach? Rachel?" He called out groggily, peering into their master bath and finding that empty as well._

"_Rachel?" He bellowed, making his way down the hall, the house breaking noises growing louder._

_He followed the sound down into the kitchen where he watched as his four month pregnant girlfriend swung a sledgehammer at the last wall the contractors didn't have time to get to yet._

"_RACHEL!" Finn screamed, quickly ripping the sledgehammer from her arms and placing it far away from her._

_She waited with her hands on her hips, clearly frustrated._

"_Rachel, what the hell are you doing?!" He cried, walking back over._

_She stomped her foot, "I was finishing our demo before you stopped me!"_

"_You can't just be breaking down walls, Rachel. What are you thinking?"_

"_I'm thinking that we have a baby that's going to be here in five months and I don't have time for these contractors to take a personal day!" _

"_Baby, its Thanksgiving. They have families."_

_Rachel huffed and rolled her eyes, "I couldn't even prepare anything for your mother's table, Finn. Do you know how useless I feel? I can't even contribute to Thanksgiving dinner!"_

_Finn wrapped her in his arms, "Rach, it's so sweet that you wanted to help my mom, but trust me, she'd rather you take it easy anyway. Besides, we're supplying all the beer and wine, we more than made up for it."_

"_But everyone loves my banana bread," She sniffed, rubbing her face against Finn's shirt._

"_We do, and next year we can have all the banana bread in the world, okay? This year, you're going to enjoy being a guest and a mama-to-be." He smiled, hand ghosting over her belly._

"_Next year we're going to have someone else at the table with us," Rachel cooed, her hand covering Finn's on her stomach._

"_I'm so excited, Babe. I just want her to get here already."_

"_Let's not rush her. I want her to be strong and healthy," Rachel asserted, her voice wavering._

"_Of course. Rach… are you alright?"_

_Rachel shrugged, "Just something the doctor said the other day. About her maybe being premature. I guess it's been bugging me."_

"_It scared me too."_

"_It did?"_

_He nodded, running his hands up and down her back, "I didn't want to scare you, but that's why you can't be swinging sledgehammers."_

"_I guess that was pretty stupid. I didn't mean to put her in any sort of danger you know that, right?"_

_Finn let out a breath, "Baby, of course I know that. You just need to relax and relinquish some control. Enjoy being pregnant, let me take care of you."_

…..

The pain was taking a toll on Rachel. Her face was pale and drawn and she was barely speaking.

"Have you gotten the EMTs on the phone yet?" Finn asked his mother, looking between her and Rachel.

Carole shook her head, "I'm still on hold. They must have a high volume of people calling in."

Finn grunted, cursing under his breath.

"We have to pick a name," Rachel whispered, lost in her own thoughts.

Finn's head jerked up, a soft smile on his lips, "I thought you said we'd wait until we saw her."

She avoided eye contact, "I just… I want to name her. In case something happens."

The smile fell from Finn's face, "Nothing's going to happen, Rach."

She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head as two tears rolled down, "You don't know that."

"Baby, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

She let out a labored breath, "If it comes down to it and… and you have to choose between us, you have to pick her, Finn. Promise me, swear to me right now that you'll choose her."

Finn's face grew hard, "Rachel, how can you expect me to—"

"You're her _father_, Finn."

"And you're my_ wife_, Rachel."

"I'm not saying it's an easy decision, but it's the only one. She's our baby, we made her, we have to protect her. She comes first," Rachel explained, gripping both of Finn's hands.

"I can't!" He cried, ripping his hands away from Rachel, "I can't lose you, I won't!"

As if she had just betrayed him, Rachel turned her head and bellowed, "I want you out! Get out of this room!"

"Rachel, think about what you're saying…" He pleaded.

"Get out!" She screamed, sobs wracking her body. Carole ushered him out sympathetically.

"What just happened?" She asked, her arms bracing her son.

"She wants me to choose the baby over her and I can't do that mom, I can't even fathom it. I love my daughter and I don't want to have to choose but I can't just let Rachel die, she's my life, she's—she's everything."

"I can't tell you what to do, Finn. But if those are Rachel's wishes, then you need to respect them. You haven't bonded with the baby yet but Rachel has and if I was in her position, if it were between me and you, I'd choose you every time, Finn."

"Why is this happening?" He shouted, pacing back and forth, "Why _my_ family?"

…..

"_So we'll plan the wedding for Christmas, that way everyone's home and they don't need to make a special trip to Lima," Rachel explained, thumbing through the wedding venue brochures they collected._

"_Babe that gives us like, less than four weeks to plan this," Finn countered._

_Rachel sighed putting her hand to her head, "I know but we're pressed for time as it is with the house and the baby and your job…" Finn noticed her breathing becoming quicker, about to transform into a full on panic attack._

"_Hey, hey, relax," He kneeled next to her taking her hands in his, "Everything's going to work out, alright? I'll make sure of it."_

_She didn't seem quelled by this though, he noted, as she bit her lip and her big eyes watered._

"_We're doing everything all wrong," she heaved, her hands making their way from Finn's to her rapidly beating heart._

"_Rach, let's just hold off on the wedding. All this stress isn't good for you."_

…

"Her blood pressure is skyrocketing," Carole warned, sending Finn's heart into his throat.

"What does that mean?"

Carole sighed, looking over at her flushed daughter-in-law across the room, just out of ear shot.

"It means she could have eclampsia."

"How can we fix this? What do we do?!" Finn pulled at his hair in frustration.

"She needs a C-section."

"Those damn paramedics need to get here! Give me the phone!" He demanded as he stalked out of the room, dialing away.

"AH!" Rachel yelped, clutching Kurt's hand.

Carole ran to her side and took her other one, "Just breathe, Sweetheart. Deep breaths."

"What's the time?! Carole… something's wrong, I can feel it!" She cried.

"It's 10:23. Your contractions are just coming a little more quickly, now. About 15 minutes. Nothing's wrong, just focus on staying calm, okay? That's all you need to do."

She sobbed, "I can't, I'm so scared for her, I—"

Mid-sentence, Rachel's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body shook with convulsions.

"RACHEL!" Kurt screamed, trying to hold his friend still.

Finn came running in at the sound and nearly collapsed himself at the sight, "What's happening to her?!"

"She's seizing," Carole gulped, as Finn pushed his brother aside, taking her now limp body into his arms, "We're getting you help, Baby. I promise, I'm so sorry…"

He kissed her head and she tried to look back at him, "Finn, d—d'you think we should get married?"

"Baby, what are you talking about? We're married, see our rings?" He held her hand up with his ring clad hand.

"We are?"

"Rachel…"

"Finn, I feel funny."

…..

"_Rach? Babe? I'm home!" He called out. He found it a little odd that she didn't answer back but given her recent mood swings, she could possibly be planning their divorce at the moment before they were even married. Or, she could be crying while holding the booties Tina knitted her. It was all very strange but he was trying to navigate it as best he could for her._

_He walked into the living room and his heart swelled. Poor Rachel's belly had finally popped and it was getting harder and harder for her to find comfortable sleeping positions. So, there she was, curled up on the floor, one pillow between her legs, one under her head, and another cushioning her back, as Cliff nestled into the curve of her body._

_They both were snoring._

_He pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures, not wanting to ever forget this scene._

_She must've sensed his presence because she stirred, her eyes opening to see him hovering over her, a sleepy smile playing on her face._

"_Hey there, Sleeping Beauty," Finn cooed, kneeling down next to her, placing a kiss to her cheek._

"_Mmm… Hey Baby. I was just having the best dream," she was still a little hazy but awake enough to sit up and crawl into Finn's lap._

_He ran his hands through her silky hair, "Oh yeah? What about?"_

_She rubbed her belly affectionately, "The baby. She was so beautiful, Finn."_

"_That's not a dream, that's a premonition. Baby Girl Hudson's going to be the most beautiful girl on the planet, other than her mama, of course."_

_Rachel giggled, "It felt so real, I was holding her and she was looking up at me. And she loved you, Finn. She giggled at everything you said."_

"_That sounds amazing, Rach. Wish I could've gotten inside your head to see that."_

_She looked up at him, "You will, soon enough."_

"_Just three more months, it seems like yesterday I found out you were pregnant."_

_She tensed at the reference to that tumultuous time but he immediately soothed her, "Relax, Baby. It's water under the bridge. All's well that ends well, right?"_

_He leaned his chin on her shoulder and she nuzzled against him, "I'm still just so sorry about that, Finn. I feel awful about it."_

_His hands found their way to either side of Rachel's bump, "Don't. This is all that matters now. We're together, we're a family, we're happy. Everything happened like it was supposed to. You've gotta trust fate, Rach."_

….

"The good news is that her contractions are still far enough apart," Carole assured them outside of Finn's room where Mercedes and Quinn were sitting vigil at her bedside.

"What does that mean?" Finn asked, not even bothering to lift his head from his hands.

"It means that she's relatively stable until she has another contraction," she explained.

Kurt and Sam exchanged worried glances as Blaine's eyes welled up.

"So, you think she's going to have more seizures?" Blaine whimpered.

Carole let out a breath, "In my professional opinion, Rachel has eclampsia. So yes, it's possible."

"The only cure for eclampsia is birth," Finn deadpanned, everyone's heads whipping over to him.

He had read the baby books. This _was _worst case scenario.

"Dude, it's not like we can make the baby come any faster…" Sam tried to reason.

"She needs a C-Section." With that, Finn got up from the floor and pushed his way into the room, promptly kicking both Mercedes and Quinn out.

Rachel was exhausted, between the labor and the seizure, keeping her eyes open was a struggle.

Finn took her hands in his and kissed them both, "Hey, hey… look at me, Babe. Stay awake,_ please_."

"Finn, I'm _so_ tired," she groaned.

"I know you are, Angel. I just… I can't do this alone, okay? I need you to be here to make the decisions with me. I don't want to make the wrong one."

She reached out a weary hand to rake through his hair, "You won't. You just have to trust your gut. You're a natural born leader. This is no different."

"It's completely different, Rach. I've never been so emotionally invested in anything in my entire life." He cried, gripping her hands harder.

"We'll be okay. Just… just don't let your heart cloud your brain, okay? I'm sorry I freaked you out before, I was just having a panic attack and I thought of everything that could go wrong and I—"

He silenced her with his lips, kissing her with everything he had. Terrified it could be the last time that they'd do this.

"I. Love. You." He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"And I love you. More than you'll ever know," she replied hoarsely.

"Ah!" She shrieked, pulling them from their intimate moment.

She threw her head back and gripped at Finn's shirt. He stared down at her helplessly, holding her in his arms, and placing kisses on her head as she cried out in pain.

When silence befell the room and he felt her shake in his arms he knew things had taken a turn for the worst.

"MOM! She's—She's having another seizure!" He sobbed, holding her despite her convulsions.

Carole and Burt appeared in the room just as Rachel came down from the episode, completely spent.

"They're here," Carole breathed.

Finn turned his attention towards the blue and red lights flickering outside of his window.

He looked down at his limp wife in his arms and hoped they weren't too late.


End file.
